Hissed off: San Juan cat removal plan prompts outcry, lawsuit

Plans to remove stray cats from a historic site in Puerto Rico's capital San Juan have hit a snag, after animal rights groups cried foul.

Years after the US National Park Service (NPS) announced it planned to remove the cats, a colony of about 150 continue to roam around the El Morro Castle, a military fort built in the 16th century, when the island was under Spanish colonial rule.

With no signs of progress, the NPS in November 2023 gave the local group caring for the cats -- Save a Gato (Save a Cat) -- six months to find a new home for the animals.

If the association failed to meet the deadline, the park service -- which views the cats as potential disease-vectors -- warned it would hire a company to find another solution, even if that meant trapping and euthanizing the cats.

The announcement outraged animal rights advocates, who said it was unnecessarily tough.

"We are willing to enter into a plan that addresses their concerns, but maintains the lives and welfare of the animals," said Ana Maria Salicrup, a member of Save a Gato's board.

Last March, an organization based in the US state of Maryland, Alley Cat Allies, filed a suit against the NPS to try and block it from taking action.

The park service halted its plan, which was set to go into effect on October 1, until the court issues a ruling.

"It's illegal, inhumane and makes no sense," Yonaton Aronoff, an attorney for Alley Cat Allies, said of the NPS plan to euthanize the cats.

The cats have been roaming around San Juan's historic area since at least the mid-20th century.

Since the controversy arose, many local merchants and tourists have voiced opposition to their removal.

"They don't bother me -- on the contrary, they help my business," said Lucas Osorio, owner of a store in Old San Juan. "Besides, there are no rats here, no pests."

Mark McCullough, an architect originally from Louisiana, said he would be saddened to see the cats removed, calling them an essential part of San Juan's identity.

Attorney Aronoff called for local residents to voice their opposition.

"We know that Puerto Ricans love cats and do not agree with the plan," he said.